Discussion on Videogames

1.) According to the film, what are some pros and cons of playing videogames for individuals and societies?

    Videogames are popular among children and adults nowadays. In both societies and individuals, there are some pros and cons. Let's talk about the effect on individual first.

    For the positive effects, people can have basic concept on some situation, like as an army.
In the film, American army have a videogame shows the situation virtually. It can help those
youngsters who have interests in being an army to know what may happen in the battlefield.
To give them some general concept of being army, which is not having fun and very dangerous.
    Besides, people can learn some knowledge from videogames. Like a boy in the film, he played a videogame which aim at killing cancer cells to rescue people. This kind of games can tell players how the cancer cells spread in our body. At the same time, reminds people of the important of health. As the cancer cells are so stubborn that it is difficult to kill them all like in
the videogame, this can urge people to stay healthy.

    However, everything has pros and cons. Some videogames may affect us badly. Take the
American army videogame as example again. In the game, people can be the first person in the battlefield and kill people with guns and bombs. This situation may encourgae somebody
to do something similar in reality. Especially those teenagers, they may not mature enough
to distinguish right and wrong, reality and virtual. Videogames may mislead youngsters.


2.) According the film, is there any evidence that digital games can encourage aggressive values and anti-social actions in the real world? Do you agree?

Yes, there is. A boy shot his classmates with a gun without missing. According to the video,
the reporter said that was the first time the boy used a gun. But why he could be so accurate? Because he played a shooting video game very frequently.
This example tells us the harmful effect of video games. Sometimes video games
may include acts of violence. With long period to get in touch with these games,
players' mind and behaviour may easily be affected with time.
Like some shooting games, it made players being tension at a long time.
It brings excitment to them and may raise their bad desire, like, shooting with real gun in reality.
3.) Should governments have the right to ban certain games? Why or why not? 

If government have the right to ban some violence games is good.
Because it can stop the spreading of violent behaviour in our society.
Avoid teenagers to being polluted by this type of videogame.

However, how to define the boudaries of which are violent which are not is difficult.
Different people have different standard of violent.
Like the America's Army game, if I am a American, of course I would support the game.
But if I am not, the answer could be different.

I support the idea, but how to demonstrate the idea is another problem.

4.) A videogame that I like:

My favourite videogame is Fantasy Restaurant.
It is a game about developing and operating a restaurant.
Players can decorate their restaurant according to their choice.
The situation, types of dishes and employees are also choose by players.
I like this game very much. Because I think it works really quite similar to reality.
Players need to think and make right decisions to run the restaurant well.
Like, different situations have different kinds of customers.
Players need to choose the right design of decoration, play the suitable music to attract
customers.
So, it is not only a videogame but also a game test players business wisdom.